Hybrid Point-to-point And Point-to-multipoint Network

Abstract

According to one example, a system includes: a point-to-multipoint (P2MP) module providing a P2MP connection to at least one coexistence element of a network; a point-to-point (P2P) module providing a P2P connection to a coexistence element, wherein the system is configured to receive data over the P2MP connection and transmit data over the P2P connection.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for communication over optical fiber comprising:
 a point-to-multipoint (P2MP) module configured to provide a P2MP connection to at least one coexistence element of a network; and   a point-to-point (P2P) module configured to provide a P2P connection to a coexistence element;   a coordination module to direct data traffic to traverse either the P2P connection or the P2MP connection;   wherein the system is configured to receive data over the P2MP connection and transmit data over the P2P connection.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the P2MP module uses a standardized Passive Optical Network (PON) technology. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the P2P connection uses a standardized optical Ethernet technology. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein only one ONT transmits in the upstream direction across the P2P connection. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein multiple ONTs transmit in the upstream direction across the P2P connection, and each ONT is assigned to transmit in a periodic time slot. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the coordination module directs data traffic by performing one or more of: load balancing, packet splitting, bonding, and fail-over. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the coordination module provides traffic scheduling data to the P2MP module and the P2P module. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the coordination module directing data traffic provides instructions to apportion data traffic across one or more of: per P2P or P2MP connection, per port, per user, per time slot, per packet, per flow, per sub-flow, per service, and per user. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the P2P module is configured to use an encryption protocol to encrypt traffic transmitted over the P2P connection. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the coexistence element is configured to be in communication through a splitter to a plurality of optical network terminals (ONTs). 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein upstream demand is determined using data on one or more of traffic load, data from a network resource control function, data from a subscriber provisioning system, data on downstream and upstream traffic levels and queue occupancy, data measured from the traffic levels across the data path, data on service or application usage, and data on needed capacity. 
     
     
         12 . An optical line terminal (OLT) comprising:
 a point-to-multipoint (P2MP) module;   a point-to-point (P2P) module;   a plurality of connections to ONTs;   and a coordination module that directs data traffic to traverse either the P2P connection or the P2MP connection;   wherein the OLT is configured to transmit data to one or more ONTs using through the P2P module using a P2P protocol; and   wherein the OLT is configured to receive data from a plurality of ONTs through the P2MP module using a P2MP protocol.   
     
     
         13 . The OLT of  claim 10 , wherein the P2MP protocol comprises a Passive Optical Network (PON) protocol. 
     
     
         14 . The OLT of  claim 10 , further comprising an overlay module to perform encryption of traffic over the P2P network. 
     
     
         15 . The OLT of  claim 10 , wherein the P2P protocol comprises an Ethernet protocol. 
     
     
         16 . The OLT of  claim 10 , wherein the P2P module is configured to use an encryption protocol to encrypt traffic transmitted over the network. 
     
     
         17 . The OLT of  claim 10 , wherein the P2MP module is configured to allot different time windows to the ONTs for transmission of data from the ONTs to the P2MP module. 
     
     
         18 . A method comprising:
 with a point-to-multipoint (P2MP) module, receiving data from one of a plurality of optical network terminals (ONTs) using a P2MP protocol, the data being received through a coexistence element of a passive optical network; and   with a point-to-point (P2P) module, transmitting data to the one of the plurality of ONTs through the coexistence element using a P2P protocol.   with a coordination module, directing data traffic to traverse either the P2P module or the P2MP module.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the P2MP protocol comprises a Passive Optical Network (PON) protocol and the P2P protocol comprises an Ethernet protocol. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the P2MP module is configured to allot different time windows to the ONTs for transmission of data from the ONTs to the P2MP module.